Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (PlayStation 2) review

"“The fury of Mortal Kombat has brought the realms to the brink of total destruction. Every warrior has been summoned to this last epic battle, where survival depends on their ability to…FIGHT!!” This is the main tagline for Midway’s latest inception into the Mortal Kombat universe of fighting games. As the current generation console systems begin to make way for the dawn of a new generation of gaming, Mortal Kombat offers gamers one final monstrosity of its brutal legacy.
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“The fury of Mortal Kombat has brought the realms to the brink of total destruction. Every warrior has been summoned to this last epic battle, where survival depends on their ability to…FIGHT!!” This is the main tagline for Midway’s latest inception into the Mortal Kombat universe of fighting games. As the current generation console systems begin to make way for the dawn of a new generation of gaming, Mortal Kombat offers gamers one final monstrosity of its brutal legacy.

Mortal Kombat has been a common household name since Midway first released Mortal Kombat to a bloodthirsty fanbase on the Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. The series offered rich storylines for its character and warrior roster as well as incredibly detailed (for the time) and over-the-top finishing moves, called Fatalities, as a means to superbly eliminate opponents and competitors. As the series grew in popularity and as the gaming technologies increased, Mortal Kombat has become a juggernaut in the fighting game genre.

Mortal Kombat Armageddon is no exception to Midway’s successful formula of giving its fans what they truly want. Armageddon offers new features to the series as well as time tested classic gameplay to deliver a gaming experience of epic proportions.

First on new features is the ingenious addition of nearly every Mortal Kombat character spanning the entire MK series which gives players the ability to choose from over sixty kombatants to wreak havoc upon the world of Mortal Kombat. This roster includes even the massive boss characters of Mortal Kombat. In connection with the huge roster of fighters, Armageddon also offers full 3D rendered Kombat stages reminiscent of every Mortal Kombat series entry. Another addition to Armageddon is the Kreate-A-Fighter mode which allows gamers to create their very own character to compete with the familiar faces of MK. This mode also encourages players to take their creation online to duke it out with other Mortal Kombat fans. Armageddon even offers players the first time ever opportunity to custom create their own Fatality with the groundbreaking Kreate-A-Fatality finishing move system. This option allows players to decimate their opponents anyway they see fit. The only problem with this mode is that the character specific fatalities have been sacrificed in favor of a more customizable aesthetic which is ultimately lacking. All of these modes combined offer seemingly endless gameplay to Armageddon.

Returning to Armageddon are the infamous Death Traps scattered throughout the stages of the game which allow players to gain the upper hand by instantaneously destroying their opponent via the various machinations of the different fighting arenas which never fails to please. Also making it’s reappearance to Armageddon is the immense Konquest mode which serves as a gameplay tutorial and story progression template of the game. It also serves as a means to unlock the massive hidden features and bonus content of the game. The only true downfall to this mode is its somewhat linear and astonishingly short gameplay.

In terms of actual gameplay, much has been changed from the proven kombat systems of previous MK titles. One major change is that each fighter has been toned down to only one fighting style and one weapon style which serves as a means to balance out the huge boss characters of Armageddon. Another addition to the fight mechanics of Armageddon is the ability to now take the fight to the air with new Air Kombat which allows huge combo systems on the ground and in the sky! A new parry system has been incorporated into the fighting mechanics which offer a more defensive/counterstrike method of gameplay.

A new minigame is also available in Armageddon which is highly reminiscent of the Nintendo 64 masterpiece Mario Kart 64 only with a MK twist. A handful of Armageddon’s more famous warriors have been given their very own custom racing vehicle which players can guide through the Death Trap ridden racing courses of Motor Kombat.

Mortal Kombat Armageddon is a wonderfully addictive game that encourages immense replay value. It is a marvelous way to usher in the new generation of gaming as Midway wraps up its past storylines to prepare for a new inception of the Mortal Kombat legacy.

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